Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 1[st] October 2022 Period start date To 30[th] September 2023 Period end date
Charity name: Cheltenham Welcomes Refugees
Charity registration number: 1195256
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | Charitable objects: To provide relief to refugees and their dependants and asylum seekers and their dependants, in particular but not exclusively those coming to the Cheltenham area by the provision of support services so as to advance them in life and assist them with the adaptation within a new community. Our aims as a charity: To foster compassion and cooperation between different communities in Cheltenham, helping local people understand the global refugee crisis and what people experience on their resettlement journey. To work with GARAS (Gloucestershire Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers), local authorities, and other partners including organisations and businesses, to help refugee communities truly grow and flourish. |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 and 1.1 BBC V 9 |
As above, with the objects of: • Preserving and protecting their physical and mental health; • Advancing their education and training and to advance the education of the public in general about the issues relating to refugees and those seeking asylum; • Relieving them from financial hardship and unemployment; and • Assisting in the provision of facilities for recreation or other leisure time occupation with the object of improving the conditions of life of those persons who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disablement, financial hardship or social and economic circumstances The Charity carries out these objects by: - Running a weekly 'Hub' drop in where asylum seekers and those who have beengiven leave to remain can come to |
| meet others, meet local residents, receive warmth, conversation and practical support (such as bike provision and repairs), signposting of the local area, as well as entertainment. - Running a monthly Welcome Cafe so that refugees, asylum-seeking families can come together to receive relief, socialise, share food and meet members of the local community. This aims to improve wellbeing and relieve hardship. - Carrying out other activities and enhancements as advised and to provide help and support for emotional and physical wellbeing, such as football training, English language classes, support with the UK driving test and other practical support, such as digital infrastructure. - The Charity also aims to raise awareness of the situation of refugees and asylum seekers locally through a monthly newsletter and social media presence. It also runs events and activities such as book clubs, film screenings and quiz nights to engage local people. By focusing on these core areas, we achieve our strategic purpose to carry out public benefit as defined by the Charity Commission. |
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|---|---|---|
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | The objects of the Trust are to provide relief to refugees and their dependants and asylum seekers and their dependants, and to advance them in life and assist them with the adaptation within a new community. The constitution contains the following statement: “Nothing in this constitution shall authorise an application of the property of the CIO for the purposes which are not charitable in accordance with section 7 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and section 2 of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008.” The trustees confirm that they have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the charity's aims and objectives and in planning future activities. |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Policy on grant making | Para 1.38 | N/A |
| Policy on social investment including program related investment |
Para 1.38 | N/A |
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 | Our Charity is entirely run and our work entirely delivered by volunteers. We have over 80 active volunteers from across Cheltenham and are managed by five trustees on an entirely voluntary basis. |
| Other | N/A |
Achievements and Performance
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. |
Para 1.20 | Support (inc. Hub and Community Café) The monthlyWelcome Caféremained our main support for refugee and, increasingly, asylum- seeking families with food, conversation and activities for children. It was valued as a place of fun and friendship. Associated with this was our Annual SummerPicnic, and an informal picnic linked to the Lives of Colour Culture Fest. There was a trip to the Christmas pantomime. Much of our focus was on the growing number of asylum-seekers with town centre accommodation opening for 80 men, in addition to the single people and families housed in a hotel some two miles away, and the people already in shared houses. Weekly numbers attending “The Hub” averaged 40. As well as the opportunity to relax and have fun, with food, thebikeworkshop continued to operate – renovating second-hand bikes and repairing ones already given out. An asylum-seeking barber set up a small area to cut hair. At other times, the numbers (both men and women) attendingfootball traininggrew and a photography project developed. We were able to begin to sign-post people to volunteering opportunities. We observed these activities and opportunities benefitting physical and emotional health. We were told that these activities provided “a bubble of joy” at an otherwise stressful time. Some told us how important it was for them to “lose the label” of asylum seeker and be themselves. We have worked with Cheltenham Volunteer Teachers (CVT) to developEnglish classes(for |
both refugees and asylum seekers). The spin-off Driving Theory Test class continues to be popular and successful. We continued to raise awareness of the wider issues to local community, with our monthly Newsletter reaching 900 subscribers, our Instagram page having 1000 followers and Facebook nearly 2000. We ran a Book Club focussing on refugee literature and had a film night showing a film about the lives of asylumseekers. We have continued to get our name known in the town through Quiz Nights and offering to steward the local Parkrun as well as through our activities. This has contributed to an increasing number of businesses and community groups making donations and fund-raising for us. For the first time, we received a significant grant from the Barnwood Trust enabling us to provide digital connectivity, bike accessories and parts, and equipment and boots for the football. We continue to develop important working partnerships with churches, the Everyman Theatre and the University of Gloucestershire. We continue to work closely with GARAS, have growing contact with Cheltenham Borough Council and have been invited to join the County Council-led Migrant Welfare Group.
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Achievements against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | N/A |
|---|---|---|
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | As income has increased we recognise the need to be more ambitious with our spending, and are planning for this in the coming year as we develop. |
| Investment performance against objectives |
Para 1.41 | N/A |
| Other | N/A |
Financial Review
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | Financial position is secure - currently no deficit, limited financial uncertainty ahead. In this reporting period the Charity has continued to grow from strength to strength, attracting donations and goodwill from local people and businesses as the war in Ukraine, public opinion and global attention on the situation has grown, alongside more temporary holding centres for asylum seekers locally. We have therefore had more donations than we have been able to spend, and as we grow as a small charity we intend to redress the balance through an increase in our activities and financial outlay on support infrastructure (e.g. bikes, digital relief) in the future. As a volunteer-run charity we face some capacity issues scaling up our activities, but have a development plan to address this, including an increase in volunteer commitments and raised awareness in the town, to enable more support to deliver our charitable objects in partnership. |
|---|---|---|
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | Cheltenham Welcomes Refugees adopted a Reserves Policy on 20th September 2023 to enable us to continue to undertake our core charitable objects should the fundraising climate change. |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | £27,780 |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | N/A |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | No funds in deficit |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 | No uncertainties about the charity’s ability to continue |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
Para 1.47 | |
|---|---|---|
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 |
Other
| Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole **year ** |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sophie Kate Bourne (nee Wardell) |
Chair of Trustees | ||
| 2 | Paul Richard Baker | Trustee | ||
| 3 | Simon Christopher Witcombe |
Trustee | ||
| 4 | Nathalie Genes | Chair of CWR’s core groupof volunteers |
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| 5 | Margaret Ann Powell | Secretary of CWR’s core group of volunteers |
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– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved Director name
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
Description of the assets N/A held in this capacity Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets
Additional information (optional) Type of Name Address adviser
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
Exemptions from disclosure
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
Other optional information
Declarations The trustees d¢Glare thal they have approved the Irustees. report above. Si9ned on behall of the Charlty's Irustees s19rlUr•(s} Full namo(s) optrig LthIDCLL Posltlonlog Socrntary, Chalr, ot¢1 20? 20
| Cheltenham Welcomes Refugees Charity No 1195256 Report for the Financial Year 2022-23 Period start date Oct-22 To Period end date Sep-23 Starting Balance: £19,274.22 Current Balances Reliance £12,143.25 £27,729.53 £0.00 including petty cash: £50 Co-operative £15,586.28 £27,729.53 |
Cheltenham Welcomes Refugees Charity No 1195256 Report for the Financial Year 2022-23 Period start date Oct-22 To Period end date Sep-23 Starting Balance: £19,274.22 Current Balances Reliance £12,143.25 £27,729.53 £0.00 including petty cash: £50 Co-operative £15,586.28 £27,729.53 |
Cheltenham Welcomes Refugees Charity No 1195256 Report for the Financial Year 2022-23 Period start date Oct-22 To Period end date Sep-23 Starting Balance: £19,274.22 Current Balances Reliance £12,143.25 £27,729.53 £0.00 including petty cash: £50 Co-operative £15,586.28 £27,729.53 |
|---|---|---|
| Current Balances Reliance £12,143.25 £27,729.53 £0.00 Co-operative £15,586.28 £27,729.53 |
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| Income | Expenditure | |
| Source Description Actual Budgeted |
Item Description Actual Budgeted |
|
| Donations £9,332 £4,680 |
Support (inc. Hub & Community cafe) £11,944 £20,879 |
|
| Private donations £4,046 £1,000 |
Expenses for the Hub £1,488 £2,460 |
[H1] [W1] [W3] [E2] [W2] [H2] [H3] [H9] [H10] [E6] [E7] [H4] [H5] |
| Donations via website £1,135 £1,500 |
Expenses for Community Cafe £1,138 £2,015 |
|
| AWG funded by Everyman £105 £180 >>> |
Expenses for AWG £300 £350 |
|
| Corporate donations £0 £2,000 |
Eid Party £0 £100 |
|
| Cheltenham Ladies College £3,146 £0 Aug-23 Summer Picnic £702 £461 |
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| Payroll giving £400 £0 Asylum Seekers accommodation £63 £1,500 |
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| Giveasyoulive Essentials Clothing and food £630 £1,200 |
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| Payroll giving Gym memberships x10 £0 £2,440 |
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| Refugee Week Swim passes £0 £650 |
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| Football team equipment & pitch hire £1,701 £1,780 |
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| Ernest Cook Trust woodland workshops £0 £1,000 |
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| Bike sale £500 >>> Bikes including a repair kit £5,732 £6,508 |
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| Transport £191 £415 |
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| Grants and Trusts £16,128 £16,510 Digital £5,132 £9,860 |
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| Digital Poverty fundraiser £618 £1,000 >>> Wi-Fi £786 £3,960 |
[H6] [H7] [H8] [H11] |
|
| Barnwood Trust £15,510 £15,510 >>> Phone top ups £220 £3,600 |
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| Laptops £3,620 £2,300 |
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| Mobile phones £505 £0 |
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| Fundraising at Events (a breakdown) £792 £2,880 date Events £663 £2,751 |
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| Cookbook sales £1,200 Cookbook Initial print run £0 £400 |
[E8] [E9] |
|
| Running Fundraiser £0 Running Fundraiser Poster printing & vests £267 £80 |
| Fundraising at Events (a breakdown) continued Actual Budgeted Expenditure at Events continued Actual Budgeted |
[E10] [E11] [E12] [E13] [E14] [E17] [E5] |
|---|---|
| Christmas Carol Event £0 £60 >>> Dec-22 Xmas Carol Event Hot drinks & printing shee £0 £60 |
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| Refugee Week £384 £130 >>> Jun-23 Refugee Week £0 £400 |
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| Montpellier Fiesta cancellation refund £30 £90 >>> Jul-23 Montpellier Fiesta Stall costs & activities £30 £160 |
|
| Quiz £379 £200 Jul-23 Quiz £47 £100 |
|
| AGM £200 Foodball match £0 £70 |
|
| Photography project £0 £276 |
|
| Promotion Printing £218 £225 |
|
| Giveasyoulive £1,095 £1,000 Replacement banner £0 £500 |
[E15] |
| Gloucestershire Humanists £536 Volunteer social £0 £100 |
[E4] [E3] [E16] |
| Quiz donations (July 2022) £175 Volunteer t-shirts £0 £280 |
|
| Grangefield Primary School £72 Badges £100 £100 |
|
| Giftaid £313 Conversation classes £466 £1,525 |
|
| Resources Books & Stationary £416 £1,225 |
[C1] [C2] [C3] |
| PAT testing equipment £50 £50 |
|
| Refreshments £0 £50 |
|
| Admin costs £592 £689 |
|
| Zoom Subscription/veCore group meetings/AGM £167 £173 |
[A1] [A2] [A3] [A4] [A5] |
| Meeting refreshments £59 £50 |
|
| Website £235 £235 |
|
| Public Liability Insurance £131 £131 |
|
| DBS checks £0 £100 |
|
| Subtotal £18,797 £35,704 |
|
| £0 Contingency @ 10% £96 £3,350 |
[A6] |
| Total £27,348 £25,070 Total £18,893 £39,053 |
|
| £50 |
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
| Report to the trustees On accounts for the year ended Set out on pages |
Cheltenham Welcomes Refugees | Cheltenham Welcomes Refugees | Cheltenham Welcomes Refugees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 September 2023 | Charity no (if any) |
1195256 | |
| 1 - 2 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets) |
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 30/09/2023 .
Responsibilities and As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the basis of report accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent The charity’s gross income exceeded £25,000 and I am qualified to examiner's statement undertake the examination by being a qualified member of ICAEW.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
-
the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
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the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
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the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed: Date: 29/07/2024 Name: Felicity Sang Relevant professional FCA qualification(s) or body (if any):
Address: Hazlewoods LLP, Staverton Court, Staverton, GL51 0UX
1
Oct 2018
IER
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
2
Oct 2018
IER
Declarallons Th• trustws declar• that thty kn• approved the trustees, report alK•Ve. Slgned on behaff of the charity's trust 8lgnatur•(s) Full na0($1 Pojilion (•g Secretsry. Chair. etc} .Ic, TVL Y lii&4-